5/27/14

Bye-bye Winter, Hello Mojo

 We’re finally through (we hope) with the 3rd snowiest winter on record. 
 Because April was ridiculously cold up north, drifts lingered for a long time
 especially along roadsides and in the woods.
 As temps finally warmed around the middle of May, the nearby lakes thawed.  Spring Lake was still icy on May 3
 but cleared a few days later
 as did Sandy Lake.
 Duck traffic increased on the front pond
 
 
 
 orioles returned
the neighbors' meadow Pontiac emerged from its snowbank 
and feral Momma Kitty came out from her nest behind the hay bales to munch on voles and mousies instead of the cat food we supply in the barn.
 
 Melting snow fed the seasonal streams that flow through the Farm 
 and raised the level of the back pond.
 
 The St. Louis River in nearby Jay Cook State Park was spectacular.
 
 
 April 22 was spring cleaning day in the goat barn.  Tory of Johnson Underground cleared a winter’s worth of bedding from the goat barn
 and heaped it up on two huge compost piles.
 On April 25-26, Barb & friend Janet traveled 750 miles to Hicksville, OH,
home of Regel Katan Farm,
and brought back a handsome, pedigreed new buck, Regel Katan Farm Charmer Mojo.
 He was just a little feller when Barb put a down payment on him in March
(photo courtesy of Regel Katan Farm). 
 
 The long road trip went well
 and Mojo settled in to his new home, where he still enjoys his daily bottle. 
 
 
 
 He's grown quite a bit in his first month at MeadowWild,
 is a friendly, energetic, playful guy,
 and should become a magnificent buck and worthy successor to Mr. T and Sanchez.
 (PHOTOBOMB!  As we were snapping pictures of Mojo, Gene Gene the Dancing Machine decided to interject himself into the frame.)
 
 The goats enjoyed finally getting out into the meadow without snowshoes or cross-country skis
  but there was slim pickin's for browsing the first half of May.
 Luckily, the kids still have other nutritional resources.
 While waiting for the new grass, the goats play king of the hill
 and king of the Sky Walk
 
 
 and king of the Adirondack chair
 
 and king of Barb
 or just enjoy a slow meadow waltz.
 It was considerably greener down south in Milaca, MN, when we visited the McCann Farm May 9 to pick up feed
 see cute baby goats
 
 and just as cute baby kittens.
 Our neighborhood finally greened up 
 around the third week of May.
 Marsh marigolds bloomed
 and the forest floor began to sprout
 
 but trees are just now starting to leaf out.
 The goats finally have fresh salad to browse 
 
 which is always tastier on the other side of the fence. 
 Some kids take time out from browsing for a quick top off
 
or an earnest tête–à–tête.
 
Cheeky and Toro relax in the shade -- it's even gotten uncomfortably warm a few times after the endless winter. 
 Half of the tattooing is done on the goats to be registered before they move on.
 Geisha comforted her Gracia after the ordeal;
 Momo just laughed at Bella.
 The buckling formerly known as Cabrito was originally destined, as his name implied, for someone's dining room table.  After a visit from the vet, he's now a wether and has been renamed Amigo; he'll be Mojo's companion in the Gentleman's Club.
In other vet news, Dustin went in for what we hoped would be a routine dental cleaning and came out minus three teeth -- victims of feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions.  Try saying that with a mouth numbed by novocaine.
Finally, friend Leah commissioned for Barb a gorgeous stoneware mug from Buck Run Pottery.
 
One side features Mt. T
with Juju on the other side.  What a thoughtful, extravagant and much appreciated gift!